Marriage Guidance
by AlexJadeyy21
Summary: Based on a Series 8 Episode (6). If Lee & Lucy's marriage wasn't in trouble before they go to Marriage Counselling, it is by the time they leave.
1. Argument without Guidance

"I told you this isn't a good idea", Lee said in an annoyed tone whilst walking through the big building towards the room they were after. "Lee, enough. We're doing this now we have to, we can't keep going on like this, point scoring and arguing", Lucy replied getting slowly irritated by her husband's behaviour. "We argue all the time, even when we weren't together and where the hell did you take the kids?" Lee replied still in a huff. "Lee relax, the kids are at mum and dad's and because we argue all the time is the reason we are here", Lucy answered now more irritated. "You didn't tell them we were coming here did you? Your dad hates me as it is I don't need him asking questions and we argue because we care" Lee replied as they got to the waiting room of the marriage guidance counsellor's office.

"What do you mean we argue because we care?", Lucy asked slightly confused as she sat down next to Lee, completely ignoring what he had said about mum and dad. "Lucy, if a couple argue now and again it shows they care about their relationship enough to fix it but if they don't argue then you become irritated a lot more as you can't get things off your chest, which creates more problems ", Lee replied adamantly. "That's a fair point Lee but the amount of times we argue we could make a greatest hits album" Lucy replied still slightly confused at why Lee had said something constructive for a change.

* * *

About 10 minutes had past as they were sat in the waiting room before Lucy and Lee had to enter the counsellor's office. "Hi...please sit down" the guidance counsellor said. "Right I'm Linda. I want to start by getting you each to say something nice about the other person", Linda told Lee and Lucy. Lee had already decided that he hated this already and immediately rolled his eyes which caused Lucy to glare at him. "Lucy, let's start with you. Tell me something nice about Lee" Linda said to Lucy. "Err…?" Lucy sat thinking for a bit. "Oh come on! There must be something I'm not that bad!" Lee replied getting impatient. Lucy glared at him to shut him up and spoke. "He's good at making me feel better after something bad has happened, even if it's his fault" Lucy replied chuffed with her answer.

"How about you Lee? Tell me something nice about Lucy" Linda asked him. Lee had had long enough to think about his answer. "Err….I like the way she smiles…to be honest…there's lots of nice things about Lucy I could write you a list in fact I could write you a book, which she could do with the amount of mistakes I've made" Lee replied honestly. Lucy looked at him with a small smile but couldn't get out of her mind the thought that he's doing this for a reason he had to be, he very rarely shows his emotions.

"Okay that was great. Next question "What would you say you argue about the most?" Linda asked them. "The kids" Lee answered straight away without hesitation.


	2. Freudian Speak

"We don't always argue about the kids, we argue because you do stupid things without thinking first", Lucy said slightly annoyed. "Well I wouldn't do such stupid things if your family took me seriously for a change you know instead of assuming that everyone from up North is the same. That's what your parents do, that's what your dad does that's why he hates me he's always hated me, and if I'm honest we're only here because you look at your parents as an example of a 'perfect marriage' which believe me probably isn't that perfect", Lee said ranting on. " How do you expect my parents to take you seriously if all you do is joke around and do stupid things all the time and my parents marriage may be perfect but I'm not going to compare it to ours and for the last time my dad doesn't hate you , Lucy replied in a slightly angrier tone than beforehand.

"I may joke around all the time but being funny and joking around isn't necessarily a bad thing, you once told me that's why you fell in love with me", Lee replied simply. "Okay yes I may have fallen for your flirty behaviour and humorous antics back then but it's been 8 years, you're not romantic anymore, even though you say you are also the joking around and messing about is having a negative impact on the kids", Lucy reciprocated. "I am romantic I've done loads of romantic things for you", Lee replied defending himself. "Clambering into bed drunk and climbing ontop of me shouting "come on Lucy it's that time of year again" doesn't constitute romance, and neither do pans as a Valentine's Day gift", Lucy shouted back at Lee. "Like I said back when I gave them to you they're great pans and can hold pretty much anything you cook in them and who forgot our wedding anniversary this year, I know that it wasn't me", Lee answered angrily. "Woah woah woah, don't you dare throw that in my face, yeah I may have forgot it altogher but you forgot then got reminded by my dad and pretended you hadn't forgotten just to make me feel guilty another thing you blame my parents for", Lucy shouted.

This constant arguing and 'airing dirty laundry in public' let's call it, went on for another half an hour before the counsellor said what she needed to say.

"Okay. I can see you have been married for some time and I think that the romance has gone in your relationship, but constantly arguing will get you no where. You need to take some time and Lee maybe you should help with the housework and children more instead of leaving it all to Lucy and Lucy you should maybe write down your anniversary date somewhere so your not likely to forget it again and not be so hard on Lee".

Lee and Lucy agreed quite reluctantly at first but came round after a short time of thinking.

"My next question is Do you communicate enough you know share feelings?", the counsellor asked. "I tell Lee what's on my mind if thats what you're trying to get at", Lucy replied. "Right and what about you Lee?" "What about me? "Feelings do you communicate them to Lucy?", the counsellor said trying to make it as easy as possible for Lee. " Yeah I think I say what's on my mind you know what I do", Lee replied.

After answering a few more questions and arguing a bit more the session had eventually finished.


	3. Guidance to an outcome

The drive home wasn't the best, they both kept Radio 2 playing but didn't speak to one another, mainly because Lucy was concentrating on driving and Lee was thinking about what had been said in the counselling session. When they eventually arrived home it was quite late so Lucy rang her parents to ask them to look after the kids overnight as Lee unlocked the front door.

"Do you want a drink or anything?" Lee asked Lucy. "No I'm fine thank you can we please just talk?" Lucy replied then asked. "I think that's a good idea", Lee agreed. "Lee you didn't really open up in the session and I know you hate bringing up the past but you can tell me anything and I promise I won't say anything to anyone", Lucy sympathized with Lee. "Okay", Lee said taking a deep breath. "I joke around because being in some situations like in conversation with your parents or in other situations where I get nervous it helps to break that nervousness and I know it's bad to keep joking around, the truth is I don't want to end up like my dad and disappoint my children and have a negative effect on them because by the time I got to 15 I had ruined any chance of making something of myself and I don't want the kids going the same way behaving like a complete idiots and truth be told I don't know how I have lasted being married this long and to you and in terms of romance I'm gonna do better I promise you Luce.", Lee said truthfully to his wife.

Lucy wasn't expecting him to open up this much maybe counselling had put things into perspective for him. "Look Lee, you do an excellent job with the children and the only person who can stop them from turning out a certain way is you and me. Yeah we're gonna make mistakes whilst doing so but that's parenting no one gives you a guide book, if only eh. Marriage is a marathon not a sprint and we're going to try our best, yeah we're gonna argue and shout at one another but we will make up we always do and damn it it works that way Lee. You've lasted this long being married to me because your sweet, caring, a good father and a great husband even if you don't believe it", Lucy assured him.

Lee didn't reply with anything he just leaned in a placed a lingering kiss on Lucy's lips. To be honest this was the most free time they'd had in ages. The kiss got more passionate until they both stopped to say I Love You before Lee picking Lucy up and carrying her upstairs. Half an hour had passed and Lee & Lucy were lay in their bed struggling for breath before Lee lay on his side facing Lucy. "Wow that was amazing. Then again I've never been disappointed when it comes to sex with you. Anyway I've been thinking", Lee started. "Ooh steady on you might give yourself a headache", Lucy teased. Lee chuckled before continuing "I'm going to try and make more of an effort when it comes to your parents you know show them I can change be a better guy that sort of thing and also I was thinking we could book another session as I know that would be what you want", Lee stated quite confidently. "Wow. Who are you and what have you done with Lee?. I'm kidding that sounds like a great idea and as for the other session I think 1 is enough, we've addressed our problems and know what we need to work on but thank you for considering it", Lucy said before sealing what she said with a kiss.


	4. Recapturing The Romance

The next morning had come round. It was 7:30am on a Saturday and Lee and Lucy were woken by three little ones jumping on them yelling "wake up mummy and daddy". "Oh my god who's idea was it to have kids", Lee groaned sleepily. "I think you know who's idea it was and you're not gonna let me forget it are you", Lucy replied groggily. "Right last one downstairs makes breakfast for everyone", Lee teased. The three children screamed and immediately ran downstairs waiting for one of their parents to be last to make them all breakfast.

Lucy gave Lee a stern look. "What? It got rid of them for a few minutes didn't it, at least we can wake up properly", Lee replied before yawning. "Lee, do me a favour when we go to Welwyn Garden City with my parents today please try and be nice, I know you don't exactly like them but please make an effort for me and don't mention that we went for marriage guidance, Dad's a little old fashioned in his views", Lucy told Lee. "I promise and I wouldn't do anything that daft we're taking the kids and I always try and be sensible when we've got the kids in public with us. "Thank you", she replied which was sealed with a lingering kiss. The kiss was getting more passionate until Lee remembered they had left the kids downstairs alone. Lee pulled away and was about to get up before Lucy pulled him back down. "Where are you going"?" She asked. "Last one down makes breakfast for everyone", Lee said laughing a little.

Lucy confused Lee by kissing him then stopping half way through to run through their bedroom door before he followed and they were both wrestling with each other to get downstairs first before Lee fell on the landing outside the kids bedroom's and Lucy landed on top of him but still pinning down his wrists above his head. "You know what Mrs McAdams (there new married name a combination of Lucy's last name and the last name McKenzie I came up with for Lee) has anyone ever told you that you're sexy when your feisty", Lee said still laughing slightly. "Oi Mr flattery won't get you anywhere at the moment", Lucy said giggling, before kissing Lee letting go of his wrists and running down the stairs.

"Okay well played Mrs", Lee said getting up and walking down the stairs. "Daddy you lost so that means you have to make everyone breakfast haha", Molly said laughing at her comments to her Dad before sitting down at the dining table. Lee began to make breakfast for everyone whilst Lucy drank her coffee and helped Lee in the process. "Thanks for that", Lucy said to Lee. "Thanks for what?", Lee asked whilst buttering some toast. "For behaving that way, I haven't felt that silly in ages since we had the kids", Lucy replied smiling and pouring cereal into bowls for the children. "The marriage guidance woman said the romance had gone and I know it wasn't exactly romantic but it was fun and it made you laugh and I haven't seen you that happy in ages Luce", Lee replied. "It was fun and it did make me so happy, maybe it was just me being stronger than you that made me happy and the way you got the kids involved was great", Lucy answered "Oh and you know that sexy when your feisty line you said earlier, if you play your cards right tonight could be a lucky night for you", Lucy added with a touch of flirtation in her voice. Lee smiled and placed the breakfast on the table in front of his children before kissing Lucy quickly before sitting down with a coffee.


End file.
